Writing Center

Why is Writing Important? What are the Benefits of Publishing?

Every field needs writing. Whether it is sending an e-mail or writing a report, writing is fundamental to most jobs today. It is a way to help us convey information. However, writing also presents other opportunities. It can help you get into college, earn scholarship money, obtain a line for your CV, and you can even be paid for publications.

Keep in Mind:

• Deadlines. Some places accept submissions year-round, others don’t until certain times of the year. Keep a calendar filled with important dates.
• Prestige varies. If you are doing this for fun, it might not matter, but if you’d like to impress people in your CV/resume, do not just submit anywhere. If you want to be an academic, make sure to use a peer-reviewed journal.
• Fees. There are some places that charge you to submit your work, such as university literary journals. Be careful when giving money as there are plenty of free methods of publication out there. However, these are not necessarily a scam. Do your research.
• Be persistent. The more you apply, the more likely you are to get published or to receive a scholarship.

Scholarships

Odessa College offers many wonderful scholarship opportunities. However, many different organizations also offer scholarships for different academic opportunities. Here are a few that might interest you.

• ACES Scholarships
  • Awards for students hoping to pursue a career in editing.
• AWP Scholarship Program
  • The AWP Community Scholarship Program aims to increase access to the annual conference and bookfair.
• Barbara Deming Memorial Fund
  • Small support grants ($500 - $1500) to individual feminist women in the arts with primary residence in the US and Canada.
• CollegeScholarships.com
  • A compiled list of English scholarships.
• Djankian Scholarships
  • A scholarship in poetry by the Adroit Journal.
• Girls Write Now
  • A list of scholarships assembled by Girls Write Now.
• Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
  • A series of scholarships and paid awards. There are awards available for visual art and/or writing.
• Scholarships.com
  • A compiled list of English scholarships.
• Sigma Kappa Delta
  • An English Honors society that has scholarships for members of the organization.
• Sigma Tau Delta
  • The parent organization of Sigma Kappa Delta. Has scholarships for the members of the organization, but is only available for Bachelors and Graduate students.

Publication Opportunities

While these are not scholarships, they can be beneficial in the long run. Many publishing opportunities are unpaid, but sometimes it can just be fun to see your name in print. Conversely, contests do tend to award money, though these are much more competitive.

• Adroit Journal
  • The Adroit Prizes are awarded annually to two students of secondary or undergraduate status. The journal also accepts unpaid submissions for their literary journal.
• Concho River Review
  • A literary journal run by Angelo State University. Accepts creative writing and book reviews.

• Glass Mountain
  • A literary journal for undergraduate students run by the University of Houston. There are prizes for poetry and prose. Accepts submissions for publication.
• Gulf Coast
  • A literary journal based in Houston. Has prizes for writers and accepts submissions for publication.
• Mythopoeic Society
  • An organization with several journals, focusing on fantasy and mythology. Both creative and academic works are accepted.

• Poetry Foundation
  • Has various awards for poetry and accepts submissions for publication.

• Poets and Writers
  • A compiled list of literary journals open for submissions.

• The Thing Itself
  • A literary journal run by Our Lady of the Lake University. Accepts creative writing and visual art.
• Vocal Media
  • A platform where you can share your stories and build. Vocal Plus members can also enter contests and are paid more per view.